Do You Need to Focus on SEO for Dispensaries During COVID-19?

These uncertain and unpredictable times have many businesses closely reviewing their budgets, and marketing is no exception.

According to one recent Conductor survey, 65% of marketers expect a COVID-19 related decrease in their marketing budget – and just as many believe that this decrease will make it harder for them to achieve their marketing goals.

With so much uncertainty in the short-term, now is the perfect time to invest in a long-term strategy like search engine optimization. SEO is not only more affordable than many other digital marketing strategies, but is also an excellent brand-building tool and is capable of producing concrete long-term results that could greatly benefit your brand once the COVID-19 pandemic passes.

SEO for Dispensaries in the Time of COVID-19

In such uncertain times, many marketing strategies and campaigns may need to be overhauled or shelved altogether. At a time when budgets are being slashed and short-term strategies are yielding unpredictable results, SEO is more important than ever.

The majority of marketers seem to agree. According to Conductor’s survey, over 60% of marketers believe that SEO is more important during this time.

Why?

Because SEO is a low-risk long-term strategy that could pay serious dividends once the coronavirus situation is over.

Organic traffic is one of the most important digital channels in 2020, and an SEO campaign is the perfect tool to capture that traffic.

Plus, it is also one of the most cost-effective digital strategies around. Marketers everywhere are turning to SEO as a less costly and lower-risk option that focuses on predictable long-term results.

SEO Produces Long-Term Results

seo for dispensaries
Companies that rely on a more robust strategy that includes SEO are currently reaping the results of investments made long ago without the pressure of producing immediate results through PPC campaigns.

SEO is a long-term strategy that takes time to produce results. According to Google, webmasters should not expect results for nearly 4–6 months after starting an SEO campaign. This long timeframe tends to put some businesses off of the idea of SEO. However, during this time when people are temporarily spending less, a long-term strategy may be more suitable.

Dispensaries that take advantage of long-term strategies like SEO now will be in a better position once things return back to normal. By planting the seeds of an SEO strategy now, businesses can reap the benefits later, and even protect themselves from the next downturn, as companies that have already invested in SEO have done.

Plus, the results of an SEO campaign are more permanent than those achieved through other channels. Paid ads eventually stop, SEO doesn’t.

SEO for Dispensaries Is a Brand Builder

seo for dispensaries brand building
Search engine optimization does more than just drive organic traffic. It’s also a great tool for brand building.

For Google, SEO is all about improving the user experience. This customer-focused approach goes hand-in-hand with brand development. A successful SEO campaign should make your website more useful, usable, desirable, credible, findable, and accessible. All of these benefits will directly rub off onto your brand.

Content is often seen as more credible than advertising. If a search user enjoys your content and your website experience, they may just turn into a customer. Instead of just flatly attempting to sell something, content can earn trust, build awareness, and engage potential customers. A strong SEO campaign can work to develop and position brands through credible and accessible content.

Plus, SEO content can be integrated with and promoted through various other channels.

For instance, content that is promoted through social media can earn you shares and likes, increasing subscriber numbers, and boosting your overall social media presence.

Effective SEO will not only make your brand more appealing to those who are already familiar with it, but it will also expand your brand outwards, allowing more people to find it for the first time.

When it comes down to it, if you want your dispensary to be found in search and want to score more organic traffic, then you need to invest in SEO for dispensaries.